Combined web guider and selvage uncurler



Jan. 7, 1969 N. T. SANTORE COMBINED WEB GUIDER AND SELVAGE UNCURLER Filed Sept. 21. 1967 FIG. I

Sheet I INVENTOR. NICHOLAS T. SANTORE ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1969 N. 'r. SANTORE v 3,419,944

COMBINED WEB GUIDER AND SELVAGE UNCURLER Filed Sept. 21, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR. NICHOLAS T. SANTORE zmm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for guiding a longitudinally-travelling web in a predetermined path, and simultaneously opening and uncurling the selvages of the web. A pair of rotary selvage uncurlers engage the edges of the web and are driven by variable-speed motive means. Sensors determine the lateral positions of the selvages, and independently con trol the speeds of rotation of the uncurlers. An outward movement of either selvage slows down the corresponding uncurler to reduce its lateral pull relative to the other uncurler, which maintains a normal speed. This restores the web to its original path. The apparatus also controls web width.

Background of the invention Fragile open-knit goods such as tricot are particularly difiicult to open and uncurl because it is necessary to limit the longitudinal tension in the goods to a minimum. The selvages of the goods often tend to form single or multiple curls during processing. A satisfactory device for removing these curls is described and claimed in US. Patent No. 3,324,525 to George P. Knapp et al., entitled Selvage Uncurler and Method of Uncurling Se-lvages of Webs, issued June 13, 1967, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. A selvage uncurler according to that patent comprises a pair of opposed wheels having circular rows of teeth; the wheels are mounted on relatively-inclined rotational axes so that their teeth interengage with the selvage of a traveling web. In their circular movements, the teeth first interengage at a point where they are traveling primarily in the direction of web movement, and later disengage at a point where they are traveling laterally of the web. The wheels can operate without external motive means, since they are driven at an adequate rate of speed by the motion of the web as it passes between those teeth which are running in the direction of its travel. The uncurling action is effected by those teeth which are traveling in a primarily lateral direction.

Brief description of the invention -1 have now discovered that rotary selvage uncurlers of the type described in the aforementioned Patent 3,324,- 525, or rotary uncurlers of other types, can be combined with certain additional apparatus not only to open and uncurl the selvages of a traveling web, but also simultaneously to guide it in a desired path. The invention is particularly advantageous for use in guiding and uncurling or opening goods in which the longitudinal tension must be held at a minimum, such as open-knitted tricot or similar goods. The apparatus is effective for opening webs in the form of a rope or semi-rope, or in a partiallycurled condition, into a flat planar form. The principal object of the invention is to facilitate the processing of goods which must be held under minimum longitudinal tension, by providing apparatus which opens and uncurls the material into a flat condition, simultaneously guides it in a predetermined path, and controls its width.

According to a preferred embodiment, I position a pair of rotary selvage uncurlers to engage the opposite edges 3,419,944 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 ice of a traveling web, and provide separate motive means for driving the uncurlers at independently-controllable rates of rotation. A pair of edge-position sensors detects the positions of the selvages of the web as they leave the uncurlers. Each sensor is incorporated in speed control means for the uncurler acting on the corresponding edge. These means are arranged to reduce the relative speed of either uncurler toward which the web may tend to wander. So long as the web remains in its proper path, determined by the locations of the sensors, the uncurlers are preferably driven at a peripheral velocity which is approximately equal to the rate of travel of the web; this reduces the drag exerted on the web to a minimum. However, if the web tends to wander laterally from its proper path, the uncurler toward which it has shifted is slowed down, with the result that the lateral pull toward that uncurler is somewhat reduced. At the same time, the uncurler working on the opposite selvage maintains a normal rate of rotation, and exerts a relatively greater lateral pull on the web. This tends to restore the web to its original path. So soon as the displacement of the web has been corrected, the speed of the slower-moving uncurler is increased to normal, once again balancing the lateral pull to hold the web in the original path.

Description of the drawings While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out the subject matter which I regard as my invention, it is believed that a clearer understanding may be gained from the following detailed desscription of a preferred embodiment, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing one of a pair of uncurlers used in the apparatus, cooperating with a traveling web;

FIGURE 2 is a view in front elevation showing the complete apparatus, with certain control elements schematically illustrated; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of a sensor forming a portion of the apparatus.

In the drawings, a preferred embodiment is illustrated which incorporates a pair of selvage uncurlers substantially as described in the aforementioned US. Patent No. 3,324,525, but with the addition of variable-speed motive means for driving them. Each uncurler comprises a pair of wheels 14 and 10, carrying circular rows of teeth 16 and 12, respectively. The teeth are preferably formed of a flexible material such as rubber. The wheels 10 and 14 are mounted with the rows of teeth 12 and 16 in opposed relationship, in a U-shaped bracket 36 having spherical clamps 32 and 28 at the ends of its opposed legs. These clamps receive spherical bearing blocks 22 and 26, which are universally adjustable upon loosening of the clamping screws 30 and 34. This permits adjustment of the angles of inclination of an axle 20 of the wheel 14, and an axle 18 of the wheel 10. By inclining the axles, the rows of teeth may be made to interengage over an arcuate sector as shown. The axles are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings (not shown), supported by the spherical bearing blocks 26 and 22, for joint rotation of the wheels.

The bracket 36 of each uncurler is mounted in a desired relationship to the corresponding selvage of the web 5 by means of a support 38 and fasteners 40. If desired, the uncurlers may be mounted on a cross-screw and rails to permit convenient adjustment of their lateral spacing by means of a handwheel. Ordinarily, the centers of the wheels should fall somewhat inside the selvages of the web.

The axles 18 and 20 are tilted in the downstream direction of Web travel, shown by the arrow in FIGURE 2, and laterally inwardly toward the center of the web, so that the circular rows of teeth 12 and 16 interengage with one another over a limited arcuate sector, which is usually centered approximately as illustrated by point y in the drawing. The length of the arc of interengagement, and the location of its center y, are adjustable by changing the angle of tilt of the axles 18 and 20; and if the axles are longitudinally adjustable in their bearings, as described for example in the aforementioned US. Patent 3,324,525, an additional mode of adjustment is available. The teeth should first intermesh inside the location where the selvage enters the uncurler, and should separate near the location where the selvage departs.

In the portion of the are where the web leaves the teeth in its downstream passage, the teeth are moving with a primarily lateral component of direction, and so serve to comb out any curls that may exist. The web assumes a zigzag configuration as it passes between the teeth, as shown in FIGURE 1, and drags over the tooth tips as it departs; but the applied friction need not produce any significant distortion of the material if the wheels are properly adjusted and the material of the teeth has a proper degree of flexibility to suit the weight and delicacy of the particular material being handled.

Each of the uncurlers is driven by separate motive means, which in the form shown comprise air motors 42 drivingly connected with the wheels through reduction gears 23. The wheels 14 are indirectly driven by the interengagement of the teeth 12 and 16, and it is not ordinarily necessary to provide separate drive motors for the wheels 14. The motors 42 are supplied with air by conduits 64, 60, and 44, and exhaust at 46. The air supply is received through a normally-closed solenoid valve 72, which is energized by leads 74 interconnected with the power supply to the mechanism (not shown) which draws the web 5 through the apparatus; thus the rotation of the uncurlers will be stopped whenever the web motion ceases, to avoid possible damage to the goods. The air supply passes through a conventional air filter 70, a pressure regulating valve 68, and a lubricator 66 to the branch conduits 60. A pair of manually-adjustable needle valves 62 is interposed in these branch conduits for controlling the normal rate of rotation of the uncurler wheels. This rate is normally set so that the peripheral velocity of the teeth 12 and 16 is slightly faster than the rate of cloth movement, and the drag of the wheels on the cloth is therefore at a minimum. Excessive speed is not necessary for effective uncurling, causes premature wear of the fingers, and needlessly rubs the web.

A pair of speed control sensors 50 are provided to detect the locations of the selvages of the web 5. These sensors are mounted for laterial adjustment relative to the brackets 36 of the uncurlers by means of arms 52 secured by screws 54 and bolts 56. The sensors should be spaced apart a distance equal to the desired width of the web, and located to define its desired path. The extent to which the uncurlers overlap the web is determined by their spacing relative to the sensors, and should be adjusted to obtain the best uncurling action for the particular material being handled. The overlap alfects the amount of lateral tension, since it determines the length of that part of the arc of interengagement of the teeth which has a primarily lateral component of direction.

The sensors 50 are arranged so that contact of either selvage with one of them serves to slow down the uncurler working on that selvage, thereby reducing the relative amount of lateral pull toward that selvage. The remaining uncurler continues to pull with undiminished tension, and the displacement of the erring selvage is shortly corrected. The speed of the slower uncurler is then restored to normal.

In the preferred embodiment, the sensors 50 comprise bleed valves which are controlled by selvage-engaging fingers 48. One of the valves is shown in detail in FIG- URE 3, and includes a block 76 having a threaded bore 78 for mounting by means of the screw 54, and a housing 80 afiixed to the block for enclosing the remaining ele ments. A passage 49 through the valve block interconnects the conduits 44 and 60, and communicates with a bleed passage 45 whose outlet area is controlled by a conical valve element 47. This element is borne by the selvage finger 48, a flexible mounting being provided by the compression spring 51 to permit the valve element to seat accurately although some misalignment may exist. The finger is provided with mounting ears 88, which are pivotally supported on cone points 84 threaded into the housing. The finger is biased toward the selvage of the web 5, and toward seating engagement of the valve element 47 in the bleed passage 45, by means of a tension spring secured at one end in a rivet 89 loosely received through an ear 86 of the finger. The second end of the spring is received through an opening 94 in an adjusting screw 92, which is threaded through a block 96 forming a portion of the housing 80. The screw 92 is set to apply a tension in the spring 90 appropriate to the weight and stiffness of the particular web material being processed.

If the selvage of the web 5 moves outwardly and pivots the finger clockwise in FIGURE 3, the valve element 47 is unseated, opening the bleed passage 45 to a degree which is related to the displacement of the selvage from the normal position shown. Air is bled from the conduits 44 and 60, reducing the flow rate to the connected motor 42 and thereby slowing down the uncurler associated with the affected finger 48. The ensuing restoration of the web to its proper position results in reseating of the valve element 47, discontinuing the bleeding of air from the supply to the corresponding motor, and restoring it to the normal speed of rotation.

Assuming that the web has moved bodily to one side, and there is no substantial increase in web width, only one of the fingers 48 will be actuated, while the opposite selvage will drift away from its associated finger. The speed of the uncurler from which the web is tending to drift will remain at a normal value, greater than that of the uncurler into which the web has shifted. An imbalance in the opposed lateral pulls of the two uncurlers ensues, tending to pull the web laterally back toward the uncurler from which it has drifted.

On the other hand, if the total width of the web should begin to increase from any causes arising before it reaches the uncurlers, both fingers 48 will be actuated and both uncurlers reduced in speed accordingly. This will reduce the total lateral pull on the web, so that it will be stretched to a correspondingly reduced degree until the total width regains a value determined by the spacing between the fingers 48. Shortly after the web passes through the uncurlers it may be passed over a roll to hold it in the opened state at controlled width, or fed directly into other processing means. It will be understood that a combination of a lateral bodily shift and a random variation in total width will cause the sensors to react proportionately to these factors, in a manner to correct both.

The normal peripheral speeds of the uncurler teeth should ordinarily be set, by means of the valves 62, about 10 to 20% greater than the velocity of the web. The areas of the bleed passages are preferably such that when fully open, they reduce the uncurler speed to about the velocity of the web; this appears in practice to minimize any dragging efiect on the material.

Other types of rotary selvage uncurlers may be used in place of those illustrated, as well as other motive means and selvage position sensors. For example, photoelectric cells may be used to detect the selvage positions. Various types of variable-speed motive means may be used in place of the illustrated air motors 42.

I have also considered the possibility of permitting the selvage uncurlers to free-wheel, so that they are rotated only by the motion of the goods, rather than using m0- tive means for driving them. The normal peripheral velocity would then be about the same as the web velocity, subject to slippage. Braking means would then be provided for slowing down either uncurler in response to selvage displacement toward it. However, this arrangement does not appear to be fully satisfactory, as there is a tendency for the wheels to lose their grip on the web it they are made to travel at a lower speed than the web.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various additional changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, which I therefore intend to define in the appended claims without limitation to the details of the illustrated construction.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for guiding a longitudinally-traveling web in a predetermined path and for opening and uncurling the selvages of the web, comprising, in combination:

a pair of rotary selvage uncurlers one arranged to engage each selvage of the web and comprising rotatable wheel means for stroking the selvages laterally outwardly;

motive means drivingly connected with said wheel means, and arranged for driving said wheel means at independently-controllable rates of rotation;

and speed control means connected for control-ling said motive means; said speed control means including sensor means for detecting the lateral positions of both selvages of the web following departure thereof from said wheel means; said speed control means being constructed and arranged for maintaining substantially equal rates of rotation of said u-ncurlers while said selvages maintain normal lateral positions, and for decreasing the relative rate of rotation of either selvage uncurler in response to displacement of the selvage engaged thereby laterally outwardly from its normal position.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said sensor means include a pair of movable fingers one positioned for displacement by each of said selvages upon an outward excursion thereof from a normal path, and said speed control means are operatively connected with said fingers for reducing the rate of rotation of either of said uncurlers in response to an outward displacement of the corresponding selvage.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said motive means comprise a pair of fluid motors one drivingly connected with each of said uncurlers, said speed control means comprise branched conduit means connected for delivering working fluid individually to said motors, and said sensor means comprise a pair of valves one interposed in each branch of said conduit means, each of said valves including a valve element movable in response to outward displacement of either selvage to reduce the normal rate of flow of working fluid to one of said motors connected with the uncurler engaging that selvage.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3, in which each of said valves is formed with a bleed passage for releasing motive fluid from the associated branch, said valve element normally closing said passage and being movable to increase the bleed area of said passage in response to out- Ward displacement of the corresponding selvage from its normal position.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 3, together with flow control valves interposed one in each of said branches for independently regulating the normal rates of motive fluid supply to said motors for individual adjustment of the normal rates of rotation of said uncurlers.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which each of said uncurlers comprises a pair of confronting wheels each having a circular row of elongated teeth, and bearing means supporting said Wheels for rotation on canted axes to interengage said rows about a common arcuate sector thereof for passage of the web therebetween.

7. Apparatus for guiding a longitudinally-traveling Web in a predetermined path and for opening and uncurling the selvages of the web, comprising, in combination:

a pair of rotary selvage uncurlers comprising rotatable wheel means, one uncurler being arranged to engage each of the selvages of the web to stroke the edges laterally outwardly;

and means for independently controlling the rates of rotation of said uncurlers, including sensor means for detecting an excursion of either selvage of the web laterally outwardly from a predetermined position, said control means being constructed and arranged for normally setting said rates of rotation at predetermined values and decreasing the relative rate of rotation of either selvage uncurler in response to an outward excursion of the selvage engaged thereby.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, in which said control means are adjustable for independent setting of the normal rates of rotation of said uncurlers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,678,925 7/ 1928 Tackaberry. 2,979,934 4/ 1961 Cutten et a] 26--66 XR 3,324,525 6/1967 Knapp et a1. 26--54 3,335,474 8/1967 Cho 26-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 707,053 4/ 1954 Great Britain.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

